Film Teams Struggle, Triumph in Volatile Region

In some South Asian villages, hundreds of people attend the film shows and learn of Christ’s love for them.

After the movie is over, film teams often have the opportunity to pray for many people like Muktananda and Dheer.

God is using Gospel for Asia-supported film teams to radiate His light in the midst of political unrest in one region of South Asia. Challenges do not deter the film-team missionaries from showing movies about Christ to hundreds of people—many of whom were once antagonistic to the Good News.

In October, two film-team missionaries, Petras Yadav and Stephen Chauhan, showed two movies, Man of Mercy and Repentance, in a village. A crowd of more than 100 people gathered to watch the films.

Among the audience was Muktananda Khan, a boy who had grown up following his culture’s traditional religion. Touched by the movies’ message, Muktananda wanted to find out more about Jesus and approached Petras and Stephen when the films were over.

Petras and Stephen presented the Gospel message to him. Without hesitation, Muktananda decided to give his life to Jesus. He also started attending worship services at the local church.

A Door Opened, a Life Transformed
Two days later, GFA-supported missionary Badal Mehra and his film team sought permission to show a movie about Jesus in a village normally closed to Christian missionaries. However, the villagers’ curiosity about the film gave Badal and his team the opportunity to show the movie.

As he watched the film, the Holy Spirit convicted him and compelled him to leave these dangerous habits behind. That night, Dheer chose to completely surrender his life to Jesus.

After the movie ended, a man named Dheer Sharma approached the missionaries to share how the film had impacted him. Dheer, a nominal Christian, had struggled with addictions to both alcohol and cigarettes. As he watched the film, the Holy Spirit convicted him and compelled him to leave these dangerous habits behind. That night, he chose to completely surrender his life to Jesus.

Film Impresses Politicians
During the same month, GFA-supported missionary Poojan Bhatnagar led a film team that had the unlikely opportunity of showing a movie about Jesus to members of a powerful political party. In fact, the politicians asked the missionaries to screen the film in their office—even though this particular political party had opposed Christian ministry in the past.

After watching the film, the party members told Poojan and his team, “We felt very good after watching the film about Jesus…Please come again with more Christian films…Thank you!”

Christians Face Excommunication
In recent months, however, another political faction has caused problems for believers in this region. Ranajit Jaiteley and Anshul Mistry, members of a GFA-supported film team, learned some disheartening news after they presented a movie about Jesus to more than 300 villagers. Many of those who watched the film told Ranajit and Anshul about a new law in their community which forces people who show interest in a religious faith different from the community’s traditional beliefs—and then choose to accept it—to abandon all their property and move to another district. Moreover, they must leave behind all previous relationships. If they refuse to abide by these stipulations, then their families will also have to abandon their property and leave the district.

Despite the threat of danger and persecution from political factions and rebel groups, God’s light is flooding this region as He allows missionaries to proclaim His love there through film. The missionaries desire prayer for:

both Muktananda and Dheer to stand firm in their new relationship with Christ, and for their families to choose to follow Jesus

open doors to sharing the Good News in every village and town

wisdom and guidance for the leaders in this region

endurance for the film teams to continue touching many people with God’s love

political leaders—including those who saw the film about Jesus—to open their hearts to Christ